Countries, Capitals & Currencies: SAARC, G20, EU, ASEAN, Africa

Countries, capitals, and currencies are among the most frequently asked GK questions in Kerala PSC exams (2-3 marks per paper). Focus on SAARC, G20, ASEAN, and commonly asked African/European nations.

1. SAARC Countries (8 Members)

Country	Capital	Currency
India	New Delhi	Indian Rupee (INR)
Pakistan	Islamabad	Pakistani Rupee (PKR)
Bangladesh	Dhaka	Taka
Sri Lanka	Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte (legislative), Colombo (commercial)	Sri Lankan Rupee
Nepal	Kathmandu	Nepalese Rupee
Bhutan	Thimphu	Ngultrum
Maldives	Male	Rufiyaa
Afghanistan	Kabul	Afghani

SAARC HQ: Kathmandu, Nepal. Founded: 1985.

2. G20 Countries (19 Nations + EU + AU)

Country	Capital	Currency
Argentina	Buenos Aires	Argentine Peso
Australia	Canberra	Australian Dollar
Brazil	Brasilia	Brazilian Real
Canada	Ottawa	Canadian Dollar
China	Beijing	Renminbi (Yuan)
France	Paris	Euro
Germany	Berlin	Euro
India	New Delhi	Indian Rupee
Indonesia	Jakarta	Rupiah
Italy	Rome	Euro
Japan	Tokyo	Yen
Mexico	Mexico City	Mexican Peso
Russia	Moscow	Ruble
Saudi Arabia	Riyadh	Saudi Riyal
South Africa	Pretoria (executive), Cape Town (legislative), Bloemfontein (judicial)	Rand
South Korea	Seoul	Won
Turkey	Ankara	Turkish Lira
United Kingdom	London	Pound Sterling
United States	Washington D.C.	US Dollar

G20 also includes: European Union and African Union (added 2023).

3. ASEAN Countries (10 Members)

Country	Capital	Currency
Indonesia	Jakarta	Rupiah
Malaysia	Kuala Lumpur	Ringgit
Philippines	Manila	Philippine Peso
Singapore	Singapore	Singapore Dollar
Thailand	Bangkok	Baht
Brunei	Bandar Seri Begawan	Brunei Dollar
Vietnam	Hanoi	Dong
Laos	Vientiane	Kip
Myanmar	Naypyidaw	Kyat
Cambodia	Phnom Penh	Riel

ASEAN HQ: Jakarta, Indonesia. Founded: 1967.

4. European Union — Key Members

Country	Capital	Currency
France	Paris	Euro
Germany	Berlin	Euro
Italy	Rome	Euro
Spain	Madrid	Euro
Netherlands	Amsterdam	Euro
Belgium	Brussels	Euro
Austria	Vienna	Euro
Greece	Athens	Euro
Portugal	Lisbon	Euro
Ireland	Dublin	Euro
Finland	Helsinki	Euro
Sweden	Stockholm	Swedish Krona (NOT Euro)
Denmark	Copenhagen	Danish Krone (NOT Euro)
Poland	Warsaw	Zloty (NOT Euro)
Hungary	Budapest	Forint (NOT Euro)

EU HQ: Brussels, Belgium. Euro used by 20 of 27 EU members (Eurozone).

UK left EU: Brexit, 31 January 2020.

5. Other European Countries (Frequently Asked)

Country	Capital	Currency
Switzerland	Bern	Swiss Franc
Norway	Oslo	Norwegian Krone
Iceland	Reykjavik	Icelandic Krona
Russia	Moscow	Ruble
Ukraine	Kyiv	Hryvnia
Serbia	Belgrade	Serbian Dinar
Czech Republic (Czechia)	Prague	Czech Koruna
Romania	Bucharest	Leu

6. African Countries (Most Asked)

Country	Capital	Currency
Egypt	Cairo	Egyptian Pound
South Africa	Pretoria/Cape Town/Bloemfontein	Rand
Nigeria	Abuja	Naira
Kenya	Nairobi	Kenyan Shilling
Ethiopia	Addis Ababa	Birr
Tanzania	Dodoma	Tanzanian Shilling
Ghana	Accra	Cedi
Morocco	Rabat	Dirham
Sudan	Khartoum	Sudanese Pound
Libya	Tripoli	Libyan Dinar
Algeria	Algiers	Algerian Dinar
Zimbabwe	Harare	Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG)
Rwanda	Kigali	Rwandan Franc
Somalia	Mogadishu	Somali Shilling
Madagascar	Antananarivo	Ariary

7. Middle East (West Asia)

Country	Capital	Currency
Saudi Arabia	Riyadh	Saudi Riyal
UAE	Abu Dhabi	Dirham (AED)
Iran	Tehran	Iranian Rial
Iraq	Baghdad	Iraqi Dinar
Israel	Jerusalem (declared)	New Israeli Shekel
Kuwait	Kuwait City	Kuwaiti Dinar
Qatar	Doha	Qatari Riyal
Oman	Muscat	Omani Rial
Bahrain	Manama	Bahraini Dinar
Jordan	Amman	Jordanian Dinar
Lebanon	Beirut	Lebanese Pound
Yemen	Sana’a	Yemeni Rial

Highest valued currency in the world: Kuwaiti Dinar.

8. East Asia and Others

Country	Capital	Currency
China	Beijing	Renminbi (Yuan)
Japan	Tokyo	Yen
South Korea	Seoul	Won
North Korea	Pyongyang	North Korean Won
Mongolia	Ulaanbaatar	Tugrik
Taiwan	Taipei	New Taiwan Dollar

9. Americas (Frequently Asked)

Country	Capital	Currency
United States	Washington D.C.	US Dollar
Canada	Ottawa	Canadian Dollar
Mexico	Mexico City	Mexican Peso
Brazil	Brasilia	Brazilian Real
Argentina	Buenos Aires	Argentine Peso
Chile	Santiago	Chilean Peso
Colombia	Bogota	Colombian Peso
Peru	Lima	Sol
Venezuela	Caracas	Bolivar
Cuba	Havana	Cuban Peso

10. Tricky Capitals (PSC Favourites)

Country	Capital (NOT the largest city)
Australia	Canberra (not Sydney)
Brazil	Brasilia (not Rio/Sao Paulo)
Turkey	Ankara (not Istanbul)
Canada	Ottawa (not Toronto)
Myanmar	Naypyidaw (not Yangon)
South Africa	Pretoria (not Johannesburg)
Nigeria	Abuja (not Lagos)
Tanzania	Dodoma (not Dar es Salaam)
Pakistan	Islamabad (not Karachi)
Sri Lanka	Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte (not Colombo)
USA	Washington D.C. (not New York)
China	Beijing (not Shanghai)
India	New Delhi (not Mumbai)
Switzerland	Bern (not Zurich/Geneva)
New Zealand	Wellington (not Auckland)

11. Countries That Changed Names/Capitals

Old Name	New Name	Year
Burma	Myanmar	1989
Ceylon	Sri Lanka	1972
Persia	Iran	1935
Siam	Thailand	1939
Rhodesia	Zimbabwe	1980
Peking	Beijing (name standardized)	1979
Turkey (Turkiye officially)	Turkiye	2022

12. PSC Exam Quick-Fire Facts

• Only country with no official capital: Nauru (small Pacific island nation)
• Country with most time zones: France (12, including overseas territories)
• Smallest country: Vatican City
• Largest country: Russia
• Newest UN member country: South Sudan (2011)
• Country named after equator: Ecuador
• Euro adopted by: 20 EU countries (as of 2024)
• BRICS nations: Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa + Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, UAE, Saudi Arabia (expanded 2024)